10 Ways To Lose Weight Over Christmas and Stay Focused

Christmas is notoriously a tricky time of the year to lose weight and stay focused. here are 10 ways how you can keep losing weight or limit the damage.

I am the first to confess that this is the time of the year when I do let myself rest and eat what I want. Especially for that one week between Christmas day and New Year, it's the one time of the year that I go all out and don't give a damn. But that doesn't mean I'm like it 24/7, when I'd normally say no to a beer or chocolate I'll say "yeah go on then".

It's just so difficult to eat well all of the time when you are with work colleagues, friends or family, and it's okay to let yourself go a little bit but that doesn't mean you must totally let go and you can still lose weight, it's just harder. You have goals and targets you have set yourself. But the Christmas season starts in late November and ends on January 1st for most.

So just how can you manage your exercise and diet over the holiday season? Here are the 10 best ways you can stay focus over Christmas to stick to your weight loss goals to limit the damage and hopefully keep on losing. And that's just it, it's all about what I call damage control, so when the storm passes come January 1st you are ready to get going with about the entire western world.

1. Do some home workouts

If you're away from home or are off work over Christmas and normally train at a gym then take the gym with you or try some bodyweight workouts. There's no reason why you couldn't workout at home. You do not need much space just instruction and motivation. Try some of our home workouts or use YouTube.

2. train with a friend

Being accountable is important, it's just too easy to not train over Christmas. Its proven that people who train together train harder and for longer. Find a friend who you can train with over the festive season to make sure you both workout as you should be.

So grab a friend or family member and workout together and make sure you set dates so you can't back out.

3. get a trainer

In the weeks leading up to Christmas you might have a lot of social events on so it would be a good idea if the purse strings permit it to hire a Personal Trainer to put you through your paces to help burn off some of those extra calories.

You will be able to find a trainer at your local gym if you're a member or do a search online to find one that can come to you or even find an online trainer.

4. Bring the gym with you

Like I said early, if you're travelling over Christmas then take some training equipment with you that doesn't take up too much room. Some of the most versatile pieces of equipment are a Resistance Band, Suspension Trainer and/or a Kettlebell. There are plenty of resistance band exercises you could incorporate into a workout plan similarly the Kettlebell is a highly effective piece of exercise equipment that helps burn a lot of calories.

5. wake up early and train

I always tell my clients to get up early and train before you do anything, once there's a distraction or a reason not to train you are more likely to do that instead and before you know it you don't feel like exercising anymore.

So get up early set the alarm if you have to and train before your family get up, before you have to go to work or college. It's your time to burn some calories, get your metabolism firing and limit the damage.

6. drink water and drop the sodas

All those social events usually include alcohol or calorific drinks so when you are not socialising stick to the calorie free stuff.

This will reduce your calorie intake and keep you hydrated. When you're hydrated you'll feel better and you'll be more likely to adhere to your training and diet needs.

7. go low calorie alcohol

I know it's hard not to drink alcohol, especially when everyone else is so where you can try to chose the low calorie alternatives. Beer, Cider and Wine are usually very high in sugars.

Spirits are usually your best option mixed with a calorie free soda. Such as Gin and Tonic or Vodka and Diet Coke.

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8. Eat clean around events

Most of us have plenty of plans over the festive season from lunches with friends, work parties and the big day on December 25th but this doesn't mean you can't eat clean in between.

I always encourage my clients to make sure that they eat as healthy as possible in the hours or days leading up to an event. Psychologically you'll feel better about yourself and you'll be less likely to over eat at the event. Yes you may drink more but it's okay as you'll be having low calories drinks right.

9. Get out and about

One of the most underrated forms of exercise is walking. There are many benefits of heading out for a walk. Not only will you be burning fat for energy but walking is incredibly good for your mental health too.

Whether you suffer from S.A.D. or you just need time alone walking can help you clear your mind, get some natural light and help you relax.

So when you have a chance to go out and walk, do it, do not hesitate. Take the family out after lunch or go whenever it suits you. Just do it.

10. try intermittent fasting

One of the main benefits are that it encourages the release of growth hormone which increase your fat burning ability. Not only will it help you burn more fat but it also restricts your calorie intake by reducing your eating window.

You can either fast for 24 hours once a week from say 2m Sunday to 2 pm Monday.

Or try 16.8 intermittent fasting. This can be done on multiple days of the week and would be a 16 hour fast best done from 8pm and then you'll break your fast at 12pm the following day. It's not as difficult as it sounds, you might even do it already but didn't know that it was "a thing".

Intermittent fasting is a great way to reduce your calorie intake over a week .

So there you have it, the best 10 ways to stay focused over the festive season. If you can't stay on track then try to limit the damage done so that when January comes you are not too far away from where you started at the beginning or December.

About Us

Thanks for visiting our blog. I’m Demi from London, UK, a mum of two beautiful boys, who loves healthy living and tight abs. I’ve teamed up with my partner Luke, a Personal Trainer with over ten years experience, to create this website to help more women like yourself to become fitter, leaner and happier through diet and exercise.

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